BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Since opening Home Instead Senior Care in Birmingham more than a decade ago, Dan Pahos has been shocked at the number of stories he has heard about financial fraud targeting seniors.

His company, which provides in-home care such as assisting with medicines, cooking and personal care for seniors and the disabled, has teamed with the nonprofit National Association of Triads to launch a new website and public education program that aims to educate families and seniors about how to protect themselves.

Pahos said the goal is to help Birmingham area families avoid falling victim to scammers who may be targeting their senior loved ones with a variety of clever cons that could jeopardize not only their life savings, but their independence.

"Scam artists are specifically targeting seniors, because they are the fastest-growing segment of the population, which has led to increased demands on law enforcement agencies," said Pahos, whose company is affiliated with a national franchise.

"This scenario has the potential to put more local seniors than ever at risk of losing their life savings, their homes and their trust in others."

The Protect Seniors from Fraud program -- developed with the assistance of the Triads -- provides family caregivers with a number of important tools at ProtectSeniorsFromFraud.com. Included in the website's various resources is a Criminal Target Scale, which can help family caregivers assess how likely their senior is to be the potential target of a scam. A Senior Fraud Protection Kit also is available from the local franchise office.

According to the Federal Trade Commission and other consumer experts, the top three crimes targeting seniors are identity theft, Medicaid/Medicare and medication fraud, and financial exploitation. The demographics of an aging population and the sophistication of scammers are adding up to big losses -- both financially and emotionally -- for older adults.

The annual financial loss by victims of elder financial abuse is estimated to be at least $2.9 billion, a 12 percent increase since 2008.

"Our CAREGivers are always on the lookout for potential scams that target senior clients, helping them screen phone calls and deal with questionable pieces of mail," Pahos said. "We're pleased to provide the tools to help family caregivers as well as seniors ward off increasingly cunning con artists and their elaborate schemes to defraud local adults.

A recent AARP study found that only 25 percent of victims over age 55 have reported to authorities that they've fallen for a scam, said Ed Hutchison, director of the National Association of Triads, Inc., who serves as expert for this program.

"These seniors may be afraid to be seen as vulnerable by the law and those in a position to tell them that, perhaps, they are not fit to continue living by themselves," Hutchison said in a release. "It's a perceived threat of a loss of independence that drives many to keep quiet," said Hutchison, whose 820 state Triads -- part of the National Sheriffs' Association -- work with local seniors, law enforcement and community volunteers to help keep seniors safe."

Founded in 1994 in Omaha by Lori and Paul Hogan, Home Instead Senior Care is the nation's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors, with more than 950 independently owned and operated franchises.

Roy L. Williams covers personal finance, labor and workplace, tourism and hospitality, small and minority businesses. Contact him at 325- 2471 orrwilliams@bhamnews.com. Follow him on Twitter:@roywil1964.